Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the country is in dire need of learning brotherhood and eradicating hatred as taught by 12th Century social reformer Basaveshwara.
“You teach what Basaveshwara had said that we all are one, we have to live together, shun hatred and rise above caste and religion,” Rahul Gandhi said in his public address after paying obeisance to the Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Math in Tumakuru on his 115th birth anniversary on April 1.
Basaveshwara was the 12th century AD social reformer who founded the Lingayat sect based on compassion, love, benevolence and philanthropy. He had a vision of equality in the society.
“The nation is in dire need of brotherhood you teach here. Your organisation is eradicating hatred, which is spreading fast in the country. I congratulate the seer (current pontiff Siddalinga Swamiji) and his team for this,” Mr Gandhi said.
Recalling his association with the Siddaganga Math and Shivakumara Swamiji, the Congress leader expressed his joy that the institution had shaped the future of thousands of children by imparting them education.
Mr Gandhi, an MP from Wayanad in Kerala, promised the pontiff that he will assist the Math wherever required.
Saying that he was saddened to note that Shivakumara Swamiji was no more whom he had met during his last visit, the Congress leader said, “Swamiji may not be here but he has shown us way. We have to tread on his path. We have to give education to youth and help the poor.” The pontiff of the reputed Siddaganga Math, who had lived for 111 years before passing away in January 2019, had become the flag-bearer of the teaching of Basaveshwara with his philanthropic work.
Earned the reputation of ‘Walking God', the seer had carried turned his Ashrama into a big educational institution for a large number of students from weaker section from across Karnataka who were offered food and education free of cost.
Lingayat is a powerful dominant community of Karnataka with a substantial population. With just one year left for the general assembly elections, Gandhi's visit here is seen as the party's aggressive start to the election campaign.
Interestingly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also be visiting the Math on Friday to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations.
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